Ferry to Spain/dog boarding experience

[BooBooKing]

Please can someone who has actually done it tell me about the experience of using a dog friendly cabin to Spain? My rescue dog gets frantic if left alone so we thought we'd try and do the Spanish ferry and a dog cabin. But last night I read a couple of blogs where people said they had to leave the dog alone in the car/motorhome for up to 2 hours while the ship is being boarded, and another hour before unloading at the other end. My dog wouldn't cope at all with that. There was also mention that the new boats have almost no dog exercise space. I'm somewhat confused now, and would be grateful if someone can tell me what the boarding experience is actually like and is it possible to do without being separated from the dog at all?

 

[Littlewheels]

You must mean Santander or Bilbao, They allow you in managed numbers and accompanied by a Staff Member upto your Cabin and point out the Exercise area. You are never separated from your Dog. The Exercise area is simply a space to allow the Dog to relieve itself and many do not because the area is regularly disinfected down that the smells are not there for the Dog.
Its the reverse process when disembarking and they now have Dog owners into the Vehicles before anyone else to stop confusion and the usual rush.
Do not worry it’s all very simple.

 

[gradyp]

Done it a number of times and our dog was a little stressed if left in the car with all the noise and people moving around the motorhome , so what we did and it was no problem at all was I would leave the motorhome and take up to the cabin as much as I could carry and the wife would wait in the van with the dog , then when everyone was loaded they would call down all dog owners to return to there vehicles to collect there dogs
I would then return to the van and we would return to the cabin with no issues. On leaving the ship owners of dogs are requested to return to there vehicles before anyone else and then just sit in the van with the dog and wait for everyone else

There really is nothing to worry about and if there are 2 of you one can always be with the dog

Hope this helps

 

[Razamataz]

Please can someone who has actually done it tell me about the experience of using a dog friendly cabin to Spain? My rescue dog gets frantic if left alone so we thought we'd try and do the Spanish ferry and a dog cabin. But last night I read a couple of blogs where people said they had to leave the dog alone in the car/motorhome for up to 2 hours while the ship is being boarded, and another hour before unloading at the other end. My dog wouldn't cope at all with that. There was also mention that the new boats have almost no dog exercise space. I'm somewhat confused now, and would be grateful if someone can tell me what the boarding experience is actually like and is it possible to do without being separated from the dog at all?

 

[BooBooKing]

Yes I meant Bilbao and Santander. Gradyp, did your wife stay with your dog with approval of the staff on board or did she hide?!! I'm quite prepared to do that if necessary, just wondered! Thanks for the reassurance.

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[Razamataz]

A

Yes I meant Bilbao and Santander. Gradyp, did your wife stay with your dog with approval of the staff on board or did she hide?!! I'm quite prepared to do that if necessary, just wondered! Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[Razamataz]

Absolutely no chance of staying with your dog in motorhome sailing to Spain.
it’s all very simple…. Just book a pet cabin..easy peasy
s

 

[John Barrett]

You must mean Santander or Bilbao, They allow you in managed numbers and accompanied by a Staff Member upto your Cabin and point out the Exercise area. You are never separated from your Dog. The Exercise area is simply a space to allow the Dog to relieve itself and many do not because the area is regularly disinfected down that the smells are not there for the Dog.
Its the reverse process when disembarking and they now have Dog owners into the Vehicles before anyone else to stop confusion and the usual rush.
Do not worry it’s all very simple.

Agreed. Have done trip twice on the new boats. Do not believe Old Wives Tales and do not worry...

 

[gradyp]

Yes I meant Bilbao and Santander. Gradyp, did your wife stay with your dog with approval of the staff on board or did she hide?!! I'm quite prepared to do that if necessary, just wondered! Thanks for the reassurance.

No it was fine ,, spoke to the loading people and they are happy for you stay with the dog as they are still loading and people are every where ,,, they call you down (if you have left the dog) before they leave the dockside anyway so no problems at all ,,,,, don't worry it is fine

 

[BooBooKing]

thanks everyone, all very reassuring..... I'll get back to waiting for the 2023 brochure to come out now.

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[3crispies]

Santander one is great, more than can be said for St Malo but we just use tunnel now....